What are the important ways for improving our police force?

What are the important ways for improving our police force (India)?

A number of suggestions have been made for improving our police force. The more important ones are:

Attempts should be made for improving the police-community relations. This can be made possible in a number of ways: (a) good work done by the police must be given prominence in the media; (b) occasional meetings of policemen and citizens be organised in police stations/colleges/universities and in public places in which the citizens and police give each other ‘feedback’ and mutual problems may be discussed openly; (c) cases in which policemen, accused of crimes and violence, are punished must be given publicity in the newspapers; (d) ‘public morality’ offences should be removed from criminal law; and (e) provision should be made for handling grievances against the police.

Human sensitivity training may be imparted. Training in sociology and psychology of human behaviour, change in social, political and economic conditions of society, moral values, habits of mind, qualities of self-discipline, flexibility in approach, etc. are necessary for all policemen. It is time, the need for higher education for police is realised and policemen are given opportunities and incentives for obtaining training in higher education.

Policemen can be deputed in universities for getting certificates and diplomas in law, sociology, social work and psychology. The most appropriate thing would be that these courses are run by the police academies with control by and recognition from the universities. The curricula for police science training also need a fresh look.

The system of recruitment at all levels needs to be looked into. Strict screening and objective assessment alone can produce competent policemen. In training new recruits, besides giving the basic training, specialisation should be encouraged gradually. Frequent and malafide transfers affect the morale of policemen. Transfers and promotion issues have to be handed over to a non-political commission.

The system of accountability and imparting punishment for custodial deaths and proved brutality must be introduced.

Rural police system should be strengthened.

The old method of entrusting the job of co-ordination the various components of the criminal justice system to the district magistrate still continues.

With separation of the judiciary from the executive after the amendment of the Carp in 1974, and with mounting pressure of other responsibilities on the district magistrate, he is no longer able to perform this role. It is, therefore, necessary to build a new legal and institutional arrangement.

There is a need to examine and modify laws and procedures to reduce the widening gap between the role of the police as defined by the various laws and the expectations of the common man, who turns to police for help whenever he becomes a victim of a crime.

The civil police needs to be sufficiently strengthened both in terms of numbers and with regard to their training and equipment.

Seeking police personnel for protection by politicians and bureaucrats has become a symbol of status. This system needs a radical change.

A policeman should no longer be considered on duty for 24 hours. It might have had some relevance in the past but it is meaningless today. A practical system of working hours needs to be introduced.

Laws should be changed. Much crime is created by legislatures that insist on making certain types of social behaviour criminal. Howsoever the police may be hated, they are essential and indispensable.

The people may be harassed, threatened and verbally and physically abused but they have to tolerate it all because the police safeguard life and property, protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence. They protect the rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice.